Maddy summaryHB 5509 allows Texas municipalities to suspend or revoke a hotel's certificate of occupancy if law enforcement provides an affidavit of probable cause and a court issues a finding of probable cause regarding human trafficking activity occurring at the hotel. The law requires municipalities to follow the same procedural standards used for suspending other business certificates of occupancy. It explicitly states this does not create private lawsuits for hotel owners and defines "human trafficking activity" as offenses under Texas Penal Code Sections 20A.02 or 20A.03. The bill took effect September 1, 2025, after being signed by the Governor on June 20, 2025. This law directly affects hotels in Texas municipalities where human trafficking is suspected, creating a specific process for local government action.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 13 requires Texas school districts to provide parents with access to records about their child's school library materials, including books or digital resources checked out. It mandates that school libraries prohibit the acquisition of materials rated "sexually explicit" by vendors or deemed "harmful" under Texas law, and restricts access to content described as "pervasively vulgar" or "educationally unsuitable." The bill also creates local school library advisory councils to help develop library policies. These changes directly affect parents, school districts, and students by expanding parental oversight of library resources and setting new standards for library collections. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 127 creates the Higher Education Research Security Council to protect universities from foreign espionage risks. The council, made up of security officers from university systems and select research institutions, will identify best practices for securing academic research while mitigating threats from foreign adversaries. It directly affects public and private research-focused universities in Texas, particularly those designated as "tier one" institutions. The bill establishes this council as a formal body to coordinate security efforts across higher education, without changing existing trade secret laws. The council’s role is limited to advising institutions on security protocols, not enforcing new penalties.
Maddy summarySB 835, known as Trey's Law, invalidates any nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement that prevents someone from disclosing an act of sexual abuse. The law directly affects survivors of sexual abuse who may have signed such agreements, making those specific clauses unenforceable. Key provisions state that agreements cannot prohibit disclosure of sexual abuse details (defined using existing Texas Penal Code and Family Code offenses), though other settlement terms like payment amounts remain valid. This change applies to all agreements entered into before, on, or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 401 allows Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt policies denying participation in University Interscholastic League (UIL) activities to non-enrolled students (e.g., homeschoolers or students attending private schools) who meet eligibility standards. Currently, schools must offer such students the same participation opportunities as enrolled students, but this bill adds that school boards may now choose to decline this participation. It also clarifies that non-enrolled students must prove residency matching their district address for eligibility, and if their eligible district has a "no participation" policy, they may instead join the nearest district without such a policy. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
Maddy summaryHB 5646 allows students enrolled in specific military-related programs - such as ROTC, senior military college cadet corps, or midshipmen programs - to pay Texas resident tuition rates at public colleges, regardless of their actual residence. This applies to tuition and fees for the 2025 fall semester and beyond. However, these students cannot use this residency status to qualify for state financial aid programs. The bill became effective immediately on June 20, 2025, after passing both chambers.
Maddy summarySB 15 limits zoning restrictions for small residential lots (4,000 sq ft or less) in certain large Texas municipalities (population over 90,000 in counties over 300,000). It prohibits municipalities from requiring lots larger than 1,400 sq ft, wider than 20 feet, or deeper than 60 feet, and mandates a minimum density of 31.1 units per acre. The bill also bans restrictions on covered parking, parking space limits, building height (requiring at least 3 stories), and excessive open space requirements for small lots. Municipalities may still charge permitting fees equivalent to single-family lot fees but cannot impose other zoning rules inconsistent with these provisions.
Maddy summaryHB 5682 creates the Colmena Ranch Municipal Management District No. 1 in Collin County, Texas. The district can use limited eminent domain to acquire land, issue bonds for projects, and collect assessments and fees from property owners within its boundaries. Its purpose is to support economic development, improve community services like housing and transportation, and supplement - without replacing - county services in the Colmena Ranch area. This special district will focus on promoting public welfare, employment, and safety through locally funded initiatives.
Maddy summarySB 506 requires ballot propositions in Texas to use clear, neutral wording that avoids misleading voters. It mandates the Secretary of State to review propositions within seven days for clarity and fairness, and directs cities to revise or replace misleading language. If cities fail to correct issues, the Secretary of State can draft the ballot language instead. This law directly affects home-rule cities, petitioners, and voters by standardizing ballot language for city charter amendments, initiatives, and referendums. The bill became effective September 1, 2025, after passing both chambers and receiving gubernatorial approval.
Maddy summarySB 467 creates a temporary property tax exemption for homeowners whose primary residence improvements (like a kitchen or roof) are completely destroyed by fire. The exemption amount equals the appraised value of the destroyed improvement multiplied by the fraction of the tax year remaining after the fire date (e.g., 100 days left = 100/365 of the value). Homeowners must apply within 180 days of the fire, with verification from fire marshals or insurance adjusters. This exemption applies only to the tax year the fire occurs and reduces property taxes for affected homeowners.